Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-01-21

vention of the Vermont Beekeepers' asso-
citation was held Friday forenoon, with
good attendance, quite number of del
egates putting in their appearance for the
first time. The secretary made his annual
report, showing the association to be
progressing finely since its organization
as State society, and the report of the
treasurer showed a handsome balance on
hand. The committee on nominations re-
ported the following list of officers for the
ensuing year:
President-P. c. Abbey of Essex
Vice Presidents-F NJ. Wrght of Enos-
burgh, ID. 5. Hall of South Cabot j. f..
Crane of Middlebury.
Secretary-R. II. Holmes of Shoreham.
Treasurer. II. Crane of Mddlebury
The report of the committee was nc
cepted and adopted and the above officers
were declared elected.
The report of the committee on awards
was as follows:
Miss NJ. A. ID pugas of shoreham, swarm of
bees, Tor essay on marketing our honey
X. II. Holmes of Shurcham, l. frame chat
hive, for exhibition of cartons AMI honey
labels, and of foot power saw for beekeepers'
use.
q. J. Lowry of Jericho, A. Is. c. hook for
perforated zinc, lIeddon hives and fixtures,
Alleys queen and drone trap, honey and
knife.
j. Il. Crane Of Mddlebury, one years sub
scription to american Bee journal, for ex"
cell 1T be smoker showing new and I'M
proved parts.
H. d. Davis of Bradford, views of A. f.
Manum's six aparics, for exhibition of New
England No. I hive and tiXtIres and novel
no ey package.
j. H. Martin of Hartford, n. Y, read an
interesting essay entitled, docs it Pay to
Exhibit Honey at Our County Fairs" He
thought it did and dwelt at length on the
best way to make the exhibition.
PROF. COOKIES ADDRESS.
Poof. w. w. Cooke of the University of
Vermont then delivered ali interesting and
valuable address on "How and why plants
produce honey" The speaker began by
explaining fertilization of plants and des-
criblng the seed vessels of pollen Self
fertilization takes place where the seed YES
sci and pollen are together on the same
Hover and come in contact and cross fer
tilization occurs when pollen from one
Hover is carried to the seed vessel of an
other Hover. Tee reasons why nature de-
sires to cross plants is to secure greater
height, weight and vigor, and more seeds.
Most plants are spoiled by sell -fertiliza-
ton the same as close breeding in animals;
some plants usually self fertilze as the
pea, lettuce, onion and ground nut but
large new varieties of peas are obtained
by cross-fertilization The means whereby
nature obtains cross-fertillzation are
three, wind fertilization as in grasses
insect fertilization as in most flowers
of the pollen from another plant
over that from the plant itself is
among the curious features of
plant life. Plants also obtain cross-fer-
tllization by having the pollen and seed
vessels on separate plants as in the case of
willows. On separate parts of the same
plant as in corn when in the same flower
it is attained by having pollen ripen before
the seed vessel or UicC UerSd, as in the
pantain, fireweed gentian and verbena
There must be some Areat benefit in cross
fertilization to offset the great waste of
valuable pollen in some flowers, and small
closed flowers of violet have 100 grains
while the peony has three and one-half
million grains.
In relation to the means taken by nature
to entice insects to plants 1t is to be
noticed that wind-fertilzed plants are dull
in color, destitute of odOr and contain no
honey rs in the case of pines and all
hemp, hop and grasses. Large
conspicuous flowers are visited much more
frequently and by a greater variety of IN
secls than small inconspicuous ones.
Bees probably tell flowers by bright col
ored leaves. When bright blue flowers
were cut off in an experiment bees
When the small upper leaves, which bees
do not use to stand on were cut Off the
bees visited the flowers as usual. Odors
attract Insects, as shown by flowers cover
ed with muslin net When possessed
of OdOr they do not so much need color
Fourteen er cent of white flowers have IA
sweet OdOr, while Only S per cent of red
ones have 1t. Honey was certainly put in
flowers to entice insects. When the honey
sac was cut OIL large number of flowers
more than half of them were not visited
by insects and produced no seed. Even
dark colored streakS on colored leaves of
flowers are believed TO be for guild
ing the insect to the honey sac,
50 that it can suck IA greater mum
Der of flowers in aglven time. and hence
produce more perfect cross ertilZatiOn
AS honey is of use to plants only as it
helps TO crOss-fertlize them, it is always
placed where it will aid in this When
mature, the pollen vessels and the seed
vessels always stand in the pathway lead
ing to the honey sac. certain amount
of heat Is necessary for the formation of
honey With some flowers if the sun
ceases to shine for half an hour bees will
cease TO work on them for lack of honey.
In most plants, the construction and posi-
ton of the pollen glands and the seed YES
sells are evidently arranged with the evil
dent intention of making the bee rub
against them when he seeks the flower tor
honey In such cases the pollen is moist
or glutinous. In wind fertillzed plants
the polltu is uIy huu pOWutry ana lnt
seed vessel is usually sticking out and
hairy To catch the pollen.
Many flowers are irregular, one or more
leaves fatteued To serve as landing place
for the bee and their honey sac is on that
side OF the flower. Nlolets have large con
splcuou~ flowers adapted to cross fertilza-
ZION, and these flowers are very fragrant
and have much honey. H. the harebell
the honey sac is at the bottom of the bell.
The pollen vessels open first and shed pol
len into the bottom of the bell around The
honey sac. The seed vessel remains closed
Several days later, when the pollen Is
dead, the seed vessel opens and receives
pollen from other flowers, In the daisy
one head has many flowers. The outer
white leaves serve as An attraction
and resting place aud produce no pollen.
Inner flowers have pollen vessels III the
the form of hollow tube into the mid
die of which the pollen falls, and is push
ed up and into view by the tip OF the
seed vessel Afterward when the seed
vessel is full grown and most of the pollen
has been brushed off, the top opens ana
exposes the inner face to seed vessel to
pollen brought from other plants.